Sri Lanka and malaria | ExpatWoman.com
 

Sri Lanka and malaria

66
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 11:02

Going with 2 boys aged 9 and 10 - should we take malaria medication ? What about any special injections ? Any experience out there - thanks !

57
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 March 2011 - 19:32
I went to Sri Lanka and didn't take malaria tablets but did get up to date with all my jabs. I was careful to avoid the areas where it is more rife (mainly inland) and I was super careful to use a good mosquito repellent and wore long sleeves in the evenings. I have heard in Sri Lanka malaria is on the increase and dengue fever too for which there is no prevention, so it's best to avoid mossies as much as possible. Last time I took malaria tablets to go to Kenya it ruined my holiday and the weeks before and after when I had to take them. Now I choose my holidays where the risk is low so I don't have to take them or honestly I would rather not go.
66
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 March 2011 - 17:57
Thanks for all the advice - we hv had the jabs - now need to decide re the malaria meds !!
170
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 March 2011 - 12:36
We went to Galle in January and we had all the injections and took maleria meds, working on the theory better safe than sorry, after seeing Cheryl Cole last year made us take the safe root. Enjoy!!
Anonymous (not verified)
0
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 March 2011 - 00:27
No need for Malaria meds, they are absolutely horrible with terrible side effects that will ruin your holiday / a few days of your life before the trip. Downside with malaria meds is also the fact that they don't save you from malaria, in general. They only protect you against certain type of malaria and if you get unlucky and are bitten by a mosquito carrying some other type of malaria, you will still get infected. That is possibly some of the worst advice (and ill informed posts) I have read on this forum! Malaria is on the increase in Sri Lanka and has been for the past 12 months. Given the weather that the island has suffered in the past year the figures are likely to increase once the next set of figures are released. To say of malaria prophylaxis ' they are absolutely horrible with terrible side effects that will ruin your holiday' is ridiculous. If you contract malaria there is a very good chance that it will ruin your life let alone your holiday. When it comes to contractable disease Malaria is the second biggest killer in the world, (particularly especially in the undeveloped world). No prophylactic regimen is 100% effective however it goes a long way to helping, especially when combined with measures to avoid mosquito bites, such as covering up, use of repellant etc. The current medical advice is that there is a variable risk of Malaria in Sri Lanka and a prophylactic regime is advised. Speak to your doctor for expert advise rather than listen to someones guess work/old wives tales!
1381
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 15:22
do take diarrhoea meds with u. i went in feb everything was fine.
1046
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 12:20
Malaria is low-no risk unless you are going into deepset jungle! However, I would think seriously about Hep A and Typhiod - these are picked up through contaminated food and water, and you are more at risk of these than anything else.
128
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 12:10
Hi, I went last year with 2 children, one was 11 months old and 9 years and we were all fine without any injections etc... Just take your normal insect repellent and you should be fine... Nippy
2362
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 12:02
you don't need to worry about it in sri lanka - there are LOTS of mossies though - take lots of lotion and sleep under a net....
66
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 11:13
Thanks so much - a real help !
234
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 March 2011 - 11:11
Hi we are going in April and have made sure we have Hepatatitus A and Typhoid, also we realised our tetanus and polio had expired so got that too. Nothing is compulsory. Malaria is only in certain parts of Sri Lanka - where we are going Galle there is no need - see http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/destinations/asia-(east)/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-malaria-map.aspx
 
 

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